Conveyor sorting device for small loads



P 0, 1969 K- F. WARNER 3,469,535

CONVEYOR SORTING DEVICE FOR SMALL LOADS Filed Feb. 16. 1967 INVENTOR. KENT F. WAR/YER United States Patent 3,469,535 CONVEYOR SORTIN G DEVICE FOR SMALL LOADS Kent F. Warner, 42 Sammis Lane, White Plains, N.Y. 10605 Filed Feb. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 616,635 Int. Cl. B61k 1/02 11.5. Cl. 104-88 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for carrying and automatically sorting small bags and containers of parts. Such device with no moving parts is carried on a simple over-head chain conveyor.

This invention relates to conveyor equipment to carry and discharge automatically small loads such as papers and small parts. The device itself may be carried on all types of over-head trolley, chain, and cable conveyors. It is for use in retail receiving and marking, freight dock, manufacturing, and similar operations.

Prior to this invention, loads were dispatched from one point in a system to another on overhead trolley conveyors with more complicated devices such as dump trays using triggers or cams to release the load. The selections for discharge were set by means of a pin, magnet, or light reflector, etc. on the carrier.

The basic new concept of this invention is that the selection is made by locating the load itself at one of a number of vertical positions on the carrier. Thus the load is positioned to be discharged directly by a fixed tripper.

The advantages of this are substantial. The carrier itself has no moving parts. The selection is made by placing the load bar in a slot for the desired discharge point. The maximum number of discharge points is doubled on this carrier by projecting the load bar to the right or to the left. By projecting the load bar beyond the perimeter of the load, it is possible to send loads from any point on the system to any other point without any tripper hitting the load.

This carrier is further designed so that the load is securely held by the force of gravity on projecting teeth. It is kept from sliding off the teeth by a magnetic strip holding a ferrous load bar. With this arrangement, it is very difiicult to displace the load bar except by tripping its end.

The load bar has an enlarged section that is larger than the distance between supporting teeth on the carrier. This is important as it prevents incorrect positioning of bar in the carrier.

3,469,535 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 The load, upon being tripped, drops into a receiving container.

A desired arrangement of the present invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing and description which follows.

The drawing is a perspective view of the subject carrier as it is supported from the overhead conveyor. Also shown in this perspective figure is a rudimentary tripper and the load bar.

With reference to the drawing, the numbered parts of the invention consist of the following.

(1) Clevis attachment to connect to overhead conveyor.

(2) A steel plate with projecting teeth.

(3) A magnetic strip running vertically between the teeth.

(4) A load bar of some rigid material with a ferrous surface at the enlarged section.

(5) A container which is hung from the load bar.

(6) A simple steel device fastened to the top of the conveyor track used as a fixed positioned tripper. This tripper projects in from the side toward the carrier in such a way that it will hit a load bar when it is in only one location on the carrier. This allows other carriers with bars destined for other locations to travel past without being tripped.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A channel shaped support member having opposed sides formed into tooth like projections, magnetic means on the base between the teeth, a carrier member comprising a bar adapted to fit between the teeth and having metallic means cooperating with the magnetic means to hold the carrier member in place, a portion of the carrier member extending laterally of the support member and adapted to strike a trip means mounted laterally of the track from which the support means is suspended, so that the carrier means will be released from the magnetic means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,209,891 10/1965 Littwin 198-41 3,311,244 3/1967 Fromme 104-88 X 3,326,138 6/1967 Thomas 10493 ARTHUR L. LA POIINT, Primary Examiner CHARLES B. LYON, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

